I laugh, too. “Obviously.”
“But lately?” He’s quiet for a second. “Since their dad died last year, they’ve been more... intense. I guess running a billion-dollar company will do that.”
“Billion?” I knew they were rich growing up, but I never paid attention to how rich they were.
“Multi-billion. Real estate, manufacturing, investments. The whole business landed on them.”
I picture their father vaguely. Tall. Formal. The kind of man who shook your hand and made you feel like you’d just been judged.
I watch the trees blur past. “How’s the company?”
Ben exhales. “They’re holding it together. Barely.”
“Barely?”
“There’s some inheritance thing. A clause in their dad’s will that is stressing them out. They don’t talk about it much.”
By the time we turn off the main road, the trees have thickened, and the air feels colder, which makes sense because we are so close to the water.
“Almost there,” Ben says, as if I couldn’t tell.
The driveway is long and curving, and when the house comes into view, my mouth opens involuntarily.
The lake house isn’t a house. It’s a monstrosity perched on the water’s edge that’s made of glass and wood.
I stare at the house. “Wow.”
Ben looks at the house, then at me. “Yeah. Wow.”
“This is the lake house? Are you sure it’s not a hotel?”
“Did the Lockes ever do anything half-ass?”
He’s right, of course.
Ben parks and I grab my bag. I follow my brother up the stone path, and the door opens before we knock.
A man fills the doorway, and he’s even more impressive than the house.
Tall. Broad-shouldered. Brown hair. Blue eyes. He wears expensive casual clothes that fit like they were made for him.
That’s not the boy I remember. I’d scrolled past the triplets’ photos online, but nothing could have prepared me for seeing one of them in person.
He grins when he sees Ben.
Then he goes still when his eyes land on me. His grin falters. He was ready for Ben’s kid sister. He wasn’t ready for the grown-up version of me.
He shakes his head and turns his focus to Ben again.
“Ben.” He steps forward and pulls him into a rough hug. “You made good time.”
His attention returns to me, polite but searching.
“Sorry.” Ben clears his throat. “This is Tania.”
A second man with an identical face appears behind the first. Doesn’t smile. Just looks at me.
“Holy shit!” The first man blinks. “LittleTania Dalton.”
